Changes Are Coming to the Aeroplan Credit Card in January

In a recent mailer sent out to cardholders, Chase has announced upcoming changes to the Aeroplan^® Credit Card, and they’re set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

Here is a full look at the details of what is changing, and what isn’t, for those with the Aeroplan card.

What Is Changing on the Aeroplan Card?

Currently, new Aeroplan card applciants receive complimentary Aeroplan Elite 25K status for the remainder of the calendar year, plus the following calendar year, after opening their card account. You also have the ability to extend that status by spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year, plus you can boost your current Aeroplan status by 1 level to Aeroplan Elite 35K status or higher after spending $50,000 on your card in a calendar year.

As of January 1, 2026, you’ll still be able to spend $15,000 on the card each year to retain Aeroplan Elite 25K status, but you’ll now need to spend $75,000 on the card in a calendar year to qualify for Elite 35K status by credit card spending alone. With Elite 35K status, you’ll receive a few added benefits like additional baggage allowance and additional eUpgrade credits.

Along those lines, you’ll no longer be able to spend $50,000 on the card and receive the Level Up benefit to boost you to a higher elite status level than what you currently have. For instance, in past years, if you qualified for Elite 50K status and spent $50,000 on your card, you’d receive an upgrade to Elite 75K status. Starting in 2026, that will no longer be the case. However, cardholders can still take advantage of this perk for 1 last status year if they spend $50,000 on the card by the end of 2025.

Further, as of January 1, 2026, you’ll earn up to 25,000 Status Qualifying Credits (SQC) each year when spending up to $50,000 in a calendar year. Here is how those earnings break down:

• 5,000 SQC as a bonus every year
• An additional 10,000 SQC when you spend $25,000 on your Aeroplan card
• An additional 10,000 SQC when you spend $50,000 on your Aeroplan card

With this added perk, whatever level of status you might have achieved naturally through flying and participating in the Air Canada Aeroplan program, you’ll be able to use SQCs through holding the card and annual card spend to help boost you up to the next elite status level.

For instance, if you would normally qualify for Elite 50K status through usual qualifying activity like flying with Air Canada and its partners, by holding the Aeroplan card and spending $50,000 on it in a calendar year, you’ll earn the additional 25,000 SQCs that would then boost you up to the 75,000 needed to qualify for Elite 75K status.

What Isn’t Changing?

Aside from these tweaks to how you’ll earn elite status using the card, everything else about the Aeroplan card is staying the same, which includes:

• 3x points on Air Canada purchases, at grocery stores, and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services)
• 500 bonus points for every $2,000 you spend in a calendar month (up to a maximum of 1,500 bonus points)
• Free first checked bag for you and up to 8 traveling companions
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS fee credit
• Preferred pricing on award tickets
• 10% bonus on Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfers (maximum 25,000 points per calendar year)
• Various travel protections

Final Thoughts

If you’re a cardholder of the Aeroplan card, and especially if you use the card to help yourself achieve Aeroplan elite status, you’ll want to make note of these upcoming changes to the card starting on January 1, 2026.

Namely, you’ll now need to spend $75,000 on the card in order to qualify for Aeroplan Elite 35K status through card spend alone, and the Level Up benefit is going away, while the ability to earn up to 25,000 Status Qualifying Credits per year is being added to the card.